Home | How It Works | Stats Login | Register         Case: Smelly Kid I guess I am still considered a novice teacher because I have been teaching for four years only. I am an elementary school teacher who teaches in a mostly White suburban setting. Couple of weeks ago a new student joined my classroom. He and his parents recently moved from Eastern Europe. His father works at the local university as a music professor. I am not sure what his mother does. He is a wonderful child. Although he speaks little English, he tries to participate in class activities and to make friends with others in the classroom. Couple days after he arrived, I noticed a strange smell around him. I was sure that it was body odor. The other students in the classroom started noticing it too. They started making fun of him. I learned in my multicultural classes when I was at the university that not all cultures promote taking showers everyday, and that body odor is not considered a problem everywhere in the world. Now I have a big dilemma. If I tell my student about it, I might embarrass him. If I sent a note to his parents, I may appear disrespectful toward their culture. But the way he is treated in the classroom by the other students is becoming a real problem. What should I do? Solution: (Rates are posted for this solution!) I don't want to violate FERPA by sending home a note to all the other kids parents explaining the situation, and asking the parents to discuss how to manage their thoughts and behavior about the "smelly" kid at school. I agree with the teacher in the scenario that sending home a letter may violate or be disrespectful to their cultural differences. I think the best way to address this concern is while the "smelly" kid is out of the room, explain to the students what the law states about bullying and that teasing other students about how they smell or is culturally different is bullying. I might even have a resource officer and administrator speak to the students about bullying. I would also explain to the students that this child comes from a very different culture where body odor is the norm. The students need to know when and why to draw the line and stop teasing. In this case they may be teasing because they are unaware of the cultural differences, and these differences are uncomfortable to them. Either way if the students are not educated about cultural differences, how are they to know they need to make changes with their attitude and treatment towards someone from a different culture?                 Rating The suggested solution is respectful of the individual (student) Yes The suggested solution is relevant to the case Yes The suggested solution is reasonable (easy) for the teacher to implement Yes The suggested solution is likely to solve the problem/issue Yes The suggested solution is original Yes Comments: n/a Rated On: March 1, 2016 6:34 pm Rated By: uhyJas                 Rating The suggested solution is respectful of the individual (student) Yes The suggested solution is relevant to the case Yes The suggested solution is reasonable (easy) for the teacher to implement Yes The suggested solution is likely to solve the problem/issue Yes The suggested solution is original Yes Comments: I think I would speak to the principal before doing anything, if anything the guidance counselor could help this student. Rated On: October 21, 2019 12:14 am Rated By: ygyXeT